reel date

‘Why combine Norwegian Hardanger fiddle tunes with Irish reels and jigs?’ asks Tellef Kvifte. A good question, but given Kvifte's insatiable musical curiosity it's not surprising that the latest of his collaborations, reel date, reveals another fascinating musical journey of discovery.

He's been playing Hardanger fiddle and tin whistles (as well as many other instruments) since the 70s and on reel date he sets feet tapping as he and his multi-instrumental band (including thoughtfully textured guitars, banjos and drums) explore the meeting points between Norwegian folk dance and those irresistible Irish tunes.

But there's a twist: the main voice of the album isn't from either of these traditions! It's the Eastern European taragot, (basically a soprano sax made of wood, hence its sweet tone), so it really is hard to know where one tradition ends and another begins as the tunes within each track move seamlessly from one to another.

Kvifte's taragot trills and tongues. It caresses us with soft melancholic phrases or hurls us onto the dance floor. It's playful, haunting, bluesy and mischievous. The excellent sleeve notes deserve a mention for giving details of all the tunes and how the album came about.